GHANESHWARAN Balachandran doesn't fit neatly into any category. Call him a wildlife photographer, and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat, as if the title doesn't quite fit. So, what is he, really? He pauses, his brows furrowing in thought. "No one's ever asked me that before," he murmurs. It's not a complaint, just a quiet realisation — he's never truly considered it himself.
After a moment, the 39-year-old replies: "I've never called myself a wildlife photographer. I just take pictures. But if I had to give an answer, I'd say… a visual artist."
It's a modest way to describe someone whose work has captured imaginations around the world. His photographs — haunting and full of life — have won international awards and been featured in National Geographic, The Sun, Daily Mail and PetaPixel.
He first appeared on screen as a presenter for a National Geographic film shot in the Himalayas, followed by a nature series on TV Okey. Ghanesh is also the founder of Varanus Visuals, a production company that creates nature documentaries and short films.
"A visual artist," I repeat, and he nods with a small smile. "I'd prefer that," he says. "There's so much more to me than just the camera lens. I used to paint and sketch. I used to sing and play the guitar. I even spent a good part of my youth in the music industry. Music, art, imagery — they're all a part of what I put into my work. Those pieces of me are in there too," he adds quietly.
Unlike many wildlife photographers, who focus on documenting the raw reality of nature, Ghanesh takes a more creative approach. "My editing is different," he explains. "It's not just documentation — it's more like creating an art piece."
He explains how his work goes beyond capturing what's visible, aiming instead to show the essence of the wild. "It's about the mood, the colours, the feelings it brings out," he says. "I don't want people to just see wildlife — I want them to feel it and connect with it."
For Ghanesh, photography isn't just about technical skill — it's a deeply personal form of self-expression. It's where his background as a painter and musician seamlessly merges with his love for nature. "Everything I've done, from art to music, shapes how I see the world and how I create my work. Wildlife is just one of the many canvases I choose to work on," he says with quiet confidence.
But there's a deeper connection that sparked his journey into photography. "Dinosaurs!" he announces with a grin, the word bursting out like an excited child. It's a passion that dates back to his childhood. "Do you remember The Land Before Time?" he asks, eyes alight with nostalgia. "That movie was everything to me. I kept watching it over and over again. Eventually, my mum, exasperated, asked, 'Won't you get a headache watching that so much?'"
GROWING PAINS
His father, noticing his dinosaur obsession, tried to channel it by buying him books. "I still have those children's books to this day," Ghanesh says with a smile. Among them were books about dinosaurs that he treasures as much now as he did back then.
His father also introduced him to the legendary British broadcaster and biologist Sir David Attenborough. Together, they watched videotapes of Life on Earth and The Living Planet. "He was one of my biggest influences," Ghanesh recounts, adding: "Those documentaries opened my eyes to the beauty and complexity of the natural world."
When he was eight, his father took him to Rex Cinema to watch Jurassic Park. "He got me my own seat, but I never used it," he recalls, laughing. "I stood the entire time, gripping the seat in front of me, completely mesmerised by the movie. From that moment on, dinosaurs became a lifelong obsession."
He dreamt of becoming a palaeontologist or even a fighter jet pilot. "That's from watching Top Gun!" he jokes with a chuckle. But his parents had different plans, insisting he choose a career that promised a steady paycheck. "I think at the time, my dad thought there wasn't much of a future in those fields," he says wistfully. "But now, we need those professions more than ever."
A compromise was reached, and Ghanesh went on to earn a diploma in aerospace engineering. "That was the closest I could get to becoming a fighter jet pilot," he shares, adding: "Of course, Dad wanted me to pursue a degree, but I told him, 'I don't need a degree to make a decent living.'"
For a while, life was going as planned. Alongside his day job, Ghanesh pursued his passion for music, having taught himself the guitar. What kind of music? I asked curiously. He grinned and replied: "Heavy metal! But not the screaming kind. We were more melodic — and we only screamed when it was absolutely necessary!"
But as fate would have it, the band life didn't work out in the end. Ghanesh tried going solo, but it didn't feel the same. "I was so used to being in a band that I realised a solo music career just wasn't for me," he admits. It was a tough time. "I felt really down because I thought music was my passion, and suddenly it was over. I joined my first band when I was 15, and after a decade, it was done. I had a good-paying job, but nothing else felt right."
Feeling deeply introspective, Ghanesh found himself seeking solace in Jurassic Park, watching it every single night for a week. The film stirred something within him — a yearning to connect with wildlife that felt like a living link to the prehistoric world.
At the same time, he was burnt out from the rat race and felt the need to recalibrate his life. "I thought, maybe it's time to hit pause and figure out what really matters," he reflects. The idea of travelling to a remote island to encounter creatures straight out of a different era — just like in the movie — was too tempting to resist.
"I knew there was only one place in the world where that was possible," he recalls with excitement. "Komodo Island, where the Komodo dragons live!"
OFF ON AN ADVENTURE
With a borrowed camera in hand, Ghanesh set off on the trip that would change everything. He didn't join a typical tour. Instead, he hired a local guide, someone who knew the land and could take him to see the Komodo dragons up close.
"It wasn't the kind of thing you'd do lightly," he recalls with a laugh. "Komodo dragons are massive — about three metres long — and they're dangerous creatures." But that didn't deter him. The guide took him off the beaten path, away from the usual tourist trails. And there, in the wild, Ghanesh had his first real encounter with the closest thing to living dinosaurs.
"It was incredible to see them in their natural habitat," he says, his eyes lighting up. "I remember thinking, 'This is it — this is what I've been searching for.'" It wasn't just about taking pictures; it was about feeling a connection to something ancient and raw. That trip sparked a new passion — one that would take him far beyond anything he'd imagined.
As he documented his experience, Ghanesh began to feel a deep connection to the camera. "It's a lot like art," he explains. "I realised that a photograph is like a painting made with light."
In his quest to see creatures that resembled dinosaurs, Ghanesh's journey also took him to Sarawak to document crocodiles. "What can I say? I love prehistoric-looking animals!" he exclaims with a laugh. A colleague had suggested the trip, mentioning that Sarawak was teeming with crocodiles, so Ghanesh packed his camera and went. "It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," he adds, grinning.
Ghanesh's journey as a photographer was only just beginning. He began collaborating with non-governmental organisations, starting with the Turtle Conservation Society, where he documented their efforts to protect endangered turtles. He also worked with MEME (Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants), capturing the lives of elephants in Ulu Muda. These projects allowed him to combine his passion for wildlife with his growing skills behind the camera.
With his passion ignited, Ghanesh kept his camera busy whenever he could. From fossils and dinosaur bones to bird skulls and beyond, he captured anything that fuelled his fascination with the prehistoric. "It was that obsession with dinosaurs that kept me going!" he chuckles.
Ghanesh's contributions to Your Shot, National Geographic's photography community, caught the attention of the magazine's editors. After being published twice, they reached out with a unique challenge: to create a photo that captured the impact of climate change.
With no budget to work with, Ghanesh got creative. He turned the lens on himself, writing the consequences of climate change across his body and capturing the powerful image. The editors were impressed, making it a leading visual for a climate change campaign. The photo didn't just make waves — It made its way to COP22, the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016.
At COP22, representatives from nearly 200 countries gathered to advance global action on climate change, and Ghanesh's photo became part of the conversation. It was published widely, went viral, and became a powerful symbol of the climate crisis, elevating his work to a global platform and cementing his reputation as a photographer with a message.
His adventures continued on.
In 2018, the intrepid cameraman travelled to the Himalayas with hopes of capturing the elusive snow leopard on camera. While the leopard evaded him, his trek through the rugged mountain range led to an unexpected discovery — a dead blue sheep.
The haunting image he captured of the carcass caught the attention of an emerging director in India, who was so impressed that she invited Ghanesh to become a presenter for a documentary on the Himalayan brown bear. This opportunity marked another turning point in Ghanesh's evolving journey as a storyteller and visual artist.
"It's all so random!" he exclaims with a laugh. "From scribbling all over my body for a photo to capturing a dead sheep — it's crazy how those moments led to such amazing opportunities!"
More opportunities soon came his way. Ghanesh's idea to visit and document all eight national parks in Malaysia turned into a 13-episode miniseries, a project that had him spending eight months exploring the wild and showcasing the country's natural heritage. "Oh, so many adventures," he recalls with a grin. "Getting soaked in heavy downpours, getting stranded on an island… it was unforgettable."
BEND DOWN THE ROAD
The successes were bittersweet because life is never a straight line. For Ghanesh, the curves were particularly hard. "My mum fell ill during the pandemic," he says softly. "She had a growth in her colon and had to wear a colostomy bag. Then her kidneys failed, and she needed dialysis. I didn't do much during that time — I focused on taking care of her," he explains quietly.
In May 2023, his beloved dog, his constant companion, passed away. Just four weeks later, his mother breathed her last. "My biggest inspiration was Mum," he says, his voice heavy with emotion.
When he was young, his mother was a master multitasker, running a food stall where he often helped out. "I remember opening the bottle caps on glass Coca-Cola bottles," he says with a small smile. Later, she ran a small tailoring shop, sewing saree blouses. "I like to think I got her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit from her," he adds, his pride and grief intertwined.
He's grateful she witnessed his successes before her passing. "I think all the reasons I'm doing what I'm doing is because I'm her son. Like her, I got to try a lot of things," he reflects. "I'm happy she got to see my achievements. Honestly, I don't care what the world thinks about me. If my mum didn't know about my successes, then none of it would have mattered."
But life moves forward, and he's only now starting to pick up the camera again. There are plans, he tells me, tentative but hopeful. "I want to make films and explore new projects," he shares. "I think it's time to start again." His words are soft, but there's a quiet determination behind them.
I can't help but sense that greater things lie ahead for Ghanesh. Perhaps more films, more documentaries, and new creative ventures await him. Whatever path he chooses, one thing seems certain — his enduring fascination with the prehistoric will continue to guide him. After all, it was the dinosaurs that sparked his journey, and maybe, just maybe, they'll lead the way once more.
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